Great Clarendon marathon (and Half Marathon)

Good news !
The Great Clarendon marathon and Half Marathon photos are now online here:
http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=kxszew5

just search with your race number and hopefully you'll see your photos - otherwise read the FAQ on the gallery page, search by 000 and have a delve about...

There's a Discussion on Runners world
and there are Results on the Race Event website

Having been caught in an accident road closure the last time I drove over to Winchester on the M25 on an early sunday morning it was with some trepidation that I opted for the M23-25-3 route to Winchester again this time.

Leaving a bit late after waiting for the babysitter I managed to make surprisingly good time - only a few nutters trying to drive up behind eveyone with nowhere else to go. The M3 was pleasantly empty southbound.

I checked in with the Marshals and Co-ordinators at the finish line about an hour before the first finishers were due to make it in. It's a bit weird driving to an event after it has started, but with the linear route across some of the windiest roads in the UK, it's a matter of getting straight to location on time.

My colleage had gone for the coastal route from Hove and was heading for the 21mile mark on the course - that's the bit in the woods on the fourth leg of the relay - where he found he had no mobile coverage - that made it a tad tricky to check in with each other through the day !

All set up at the finish with about 40 minutes to go before the first runner came in it was time for a bit of food from the burger van before settling down to 3 hrs of straight photography without a break. Note the race split at the finish - quite unique - and if the chip timing is introduced next year - then possibly the last time it will be seen.


Anticipating the question - why didn't you go where you were last year with the hill in the background ?
Well in all honesty - first off I didn't want to park my car on a rut like last year when REAC kindly winched me out (after the AA had given up), and secondly there was a different photographer covering the finish line last year. Unfortunately he's recently broken his arm, so whilst passing on yours and our good wishes, we were asked to cover the finish line - so it's not possible to be on the course and also at the finish.

It soon all started to get busy - with the first home anticipated at around 2:45 we all had ourselves in position (stopwatches poised and cameras and timing kit at the ready, Tshirts stacked ready to give out, massage tent going up) with our eyes peeled for about 15 minutes. It was a long 15 minutes !

Finally we had a glimpse round the corner and - yes - first home was a Winchester vest.
This was the first person home - team 2086 from home club winchester. He'd caned it - check the results for the time - quite very rather good.



Matt King won the mens marathon, looking far too fresh as he strolled in:



Linda Faulkner won the womens full marathon



There were a few other escapees from Sussex, not to mention the Henfield joggers team there was also this pair from Arunners (Arun Runners...)




And if you have ever wondered what people off the internet look like - Hello to Plodding Hippo (lurks on Runners World and Fetcheveryone.com)


This chap - Daz Jones - had far too much fun for his money winning the Mens Half marathon:



Whilst his contemporary in the womens race Barbara Hossack also seemed to be enjoying the forest trail:


Finally - just be careful what you get up to in the woods on these types of races - you never know what you will find...


That's about all from me for this race report, the drive home was uninspiring even though I took the south coast route back to Sussex as everyone was driving north back to London on the M3. It rained insipidly and home was achieved at about 6.30pm - straight into back up and download, food and then sorting out the images.

The other team out on Sunday was covering the Rowers Revenge at Marlow Rowing club (home of Steve Redgrave) - a Triathlon with rowing instead of swimming. Some frightening times put down on the rowing - 10 minutes for 4000m ?!?!? - that's international pace.

And if you were looking for the AAT Orientator Pictures from Saturday - they are online too - click here for those:
http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=1o8zewb apologies but no blog done for those yet.

So - the Great Clarendon marathon and Half Marathon photos are now online here:
http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=kxszew5

That's all for now, hope to see some of you at Beachy Head Marathon in two weeks time - another great off road marathon - and then there's the Abingdon Marathon to look forwards to too !

See you racing soon -
Anthony